We’ve been working with music, lifestyle and culture bloggers from near and far over the last few weeks, organising a media event at first direct arena for our client first direct, which got us thinking…
A lot has been written about the do’s and don’ts of blogger relations – don’t expect something for nothing, don’t be too formal, email rather than call, don’t send freebies in exchange for content but, if you do, send doughnuts (?) – the list is endless.
In a world where everyone has the power to publish, bloggers are now another type of influencer, just like journalists or celebrities, and working with influencers is nothing new. We’ve been pitching ideas to journalists for years and continue to do so. Sure, most bloggers work differently to journalists but the rules of engagement are the same, especially since most journalists nowadays operate and publish digitally, too. Rather than talking media relations or blogger relations, here are our rules of engagement for any influencer: journalist, blogger or stakeholder.
Don’t blanket, make it personal
Just as any PR pro avoids sending a blanket email to hundreds of journalists at a time (with information that might not even be relevant), making contact with bloggers should be personal. Do your research and get to know the person We wouldn’t contact a journalist without knowing what they write about and what’s important to their audience, so get to know the blogger or journalist, their interests and background, what they write about, who their audience is, what kind of content they create and what they need before pitching an idea.
Think outside the ‘press release’
For some influencers, like some traditional print news desks, the press release in its traditional format is still expected but for some digital journalists or bloggers think about repackaging your news, information or story to suit, incorporating video or illustrations with links and access to an online library of potential content.
Don’t send freebies, provide useful resources
Sorry to dispel the myth but if you didn’t know already, bloggers don’t just blog for free stationery. Unless something is useful for a piece, it’s bribery. While free tickets to an event might facilitate a review or post, think about what else would be useful to the blogger – an opportunity to get something exclusive or a unique angle.
Understand your influencer’s own pressures
Any seasoned PR bod will know exactly what time a particular journalist is in a morning planning meeting and what day they are on deadline. This is no different for other influencers. For some people, blogging is a full time job and for others it’s a sideline after their 9-5 day. Get to know a blogger’s working hours and exactly what they are aiming to do. If a blogger is starting out, help them grow with content, associations and support.
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